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Girl Scout gives time, talent to others

Delaney Fahning, 16, acquired six donated trumpets, and with assistance from her sister, Blakely Fahning, and friend Loryanna Hodges, taught six youths at Empower House of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Thomasville how to play them as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project. The youths displayed what they learned during a trumpet concert at Empower House on Aug. 9.

Published: Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 11:56 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 11:56 a.m.

Girl Scouts are known for choosing projects when working toward the coveted Gold Award that makes an impact in the community.

From seeking donated food and toiletries for homeless shelters to compiling baby items for a teen parent program, these projects typically affect the lives in a positive way of those people receiving the fruit of the Scouts' labors. But for Delaney Fahning, a 16-year-old Thomasville Girl Scout in Troop 40448 at Emerywood Baptist Church, the participants in her project weren't the only ones to receive a gift from her Gold Award project. Fahning received a gift, too.

The East Davidson High School band student used her talent and gifts as a trumpet player to offer a summer camp in trumpet playing for six youths in the ROCK summer program of Empower House, a nonprofit affiliated with Emmanuel Baptist Church in Thomasville. While she is a gifted musician, she admits to being shy, especially when it comes to talking in front of people.

Standing in front of six youths for about three weeks teaching them how to play basic songs made her face that fear head-on and overcome it.

"I was nervous," she said of the first days with her students who ranged in age from third- to fifth-graders. "I don't like speaking in public. But after a while, I relaxed."

This experience not only enriched the children's life with a new skill — none had played the trumpet before — it gave Fahning practice at speaking in front of strangers. She will have to do that again to earn her Gold Award — the highest honor in Girl Scouting — before a committee of four strangers soon, when she explains and is questioned about her project.

"If that doesn't go well, I have wasted 80 hours of work on this project," she said.

The award requires Scouts to spend a minimum of 80 hours planning and executing a project for the community. They have to identify the issue, investigate it, garner help and build a team to help them in the endeavor, create a plan, present the plan and gather feedback, execute the project, and educate and inspire others with their work.

Her team was her sister, Blakley Fahning, who helped teach the classes; friend Laryanna Hodges, who helped with the classes; Ron Walker, her grandfather, who plays the trumpet and inspired her to play; Mary Jane Walker, her grandmother; her parents, Malinda and Tim Fahning; the ROCK staff; and Karl Kassner, who donated his time to refurbish the donated trumpets.

Planning began about a year ago, when Fahning and her mother began asking people if they had old trumpets they were willing to donate. The duo even used Facebook to solicit for the donated instruments.

"I had been playing trumpet for five years, and I wanted to share this with other people," she said. "I hoped the students would like it."

Throughout the weeks, Fahning developed a friendship with her young students — Hannah Crawford, Keyon Kearse, Kyler Hogan, Ja'mya Key, David Jackson and Kianna Siler. Their weeks together culminated Aug. 9 with an evening concert before the students' parents and friends.

"I hope they will play in a band and have a better understanding of music," she added. At the end of their time together, Fahning was delighted that the students asked her to come back next summer to teach them again.

While she is not sure if that will happen, she did donate her supplies to ROCK so the staff can carry on the trumpet lessons. Fahning donated the trumpets, music stands, music sheets, a white board and more.

Jill Doss-Raines is the lifestyles editor at The Dispatch. She can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 219, or at jill.doss-raines@the-dispatch.com.

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